Is It Okay to Question God? 5 Powerful Truths Every Christian Needs to Know
Is it okay to question God? Or is it a sign of weak faith? Or worse, a sin?
Growing up, I was taught that questioning God was wrong. He is God, and we are not. There was no room for questions. But as I got older, life got harder, and all those questions I had been asking kept coming up.
Is God really good?
Is he actually in control?
Does he actually love me?
Why does he let this happen?
Is He even real?
These questions made me feel like I wasn’t a good Christian; that I was failing my faith. A true Christian wouldn’t wrestle with doubts and questions. I just needed to believe more and question less. But the more I ignored them, the more they grew.
The reality is that in this life, we will face difficulties. We will have hard seasons. No one is exempt. In those difficult moments, questions about God naturally arise. Many Christians feel guilty for asking them, believing doubt is the opposite of faith. But what if questioning God is actually an opportunity for spiritual growth?
I’ve found that while these questions are common, they often bring about guilt. Many Christians feel that questioning God reveals a lack of faith. But I think this pressure to ignore our questions is actually stifling our growth.
In this post, we’ll explore whether it’s okay to question God and how we should approach our doubts in a way that strengthens our faith rather than weakens it. Let’s dive in!
Questioning God In The Bible
I want to start by looking at characters in the Bible who questioned God. I think this will give us a good baseline to understand how God feels about it.
The Bible is full of people who question God. And what’s incredible is the Bible doesn’t hide their questions, but rather highlights them.
Here’s a few:
- In Ecclesiastes Solomon continually asks difficult questions about life and God.
- Habakkuk starts off his book by crying out to God asking when God will finally hear him (Habakkuk 1:2).
- Gideon questions God’s answer in Judges 6-8.
- Abraham and Sarah question God’s ability to provide several times throughout their years.
- We see countless examples in the Psalms where the Psalmists are struggling to understand what God is doing.
- In John 20:24-29 Thomas questions Jesus’ resurrected body.
- The disciples, specifically Peter, continually question Jesus.
- In Revelation 6:10 we see those who were slain questioning God about when he will avenge them.
These are just a few examples, but I think the point is clear. Questioning God is part of the human experience.
When we face trials and tribulations it’s normal to ask questions as we struggle to understand what’s happening. We find these examples all throughout the Bible.
Is It Okay To Question God?
We’ve seen that people in the Bible question God regularly. The Bible highlights these questions, rather than hiding them. But still that doesn’t really answer our question, is it okay to question God? Is it a sin to question God?
To question God is not wrong in and of itself. What matters is how we do it. Bringing out questions and concerns to God is not wrong, but rather it is healthy. But we still must do so in a way that is respectful.
There’s a difference between questioning God and accusing him. We can question God in a way that still holds that he sees what we do not. When we question God we should do so in a way that is respectful and honoring.
But the Bible seems to be clear. Not only can we question God, we should. We are finite beings trying to grasp an infinite God. We are going to struggle, and questions can help.
God doesn’t get angry with our questions. He invites them. It’s often through our questioning that we come to a deeper understanding of who God is.
God doesn’t want blind allegiance. He wants a relationship. And that means that sometimes we are going to struggle. In those struggles questions will arise. That’s normal and good. That’s what leads us to a closer relationship with our creator.
How To Question God
I want to end by looking at how to question God in a healthy way. Here are some practical things we can do when we find ourselves in a season of questioning God.
1. Don’t Hide Your Questions
When we bury our questions and pretend they don’t exist it can hinder our relationship with God. But when we bring them into the open we can grow in our faith and experience closeness with him.
Air out your questions. Regularly share them with God. He wants your heart, whatever is on it. So give it to him.
I think the Psalms are the perfect place to turn for this. David continually asks God questions about whatever he’s struggling with. It’s a great model for us to follow.
Here’s what David says in Psalm 5: “Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” Psalm 5:1-3
God invites your questions. You don’t need to hide them or pretend you don’t have them. When we hide our questions we are hiding part of ourselves from God. We are keeping our faith from growing. Don’t hide, bring your questions to God.
2. Don’t Be Ashamed Of Your Questions
I often see Christians beat themselves down because they are questioning God. They think they should just have it all together. Their faith is weak. That they should just trust God.
We are finite beings trying to understand an infinite God. Of course we are going to struggle to understand. We don’t need to be ashamed of our questions. It’s often through our questioning that our faith and trust in God is built. Instead remind yourself that it’s through your questions that your faith is built.
3. Recognize That Your Questions Can Produce Something Of Value
Questioning God can actually build something of value in our life. It can strengthen your faith.
Questions show that you are engaging with and thinking about important things. When we ignore the questions, we are missing an important time to turn to God and grow.
The times I’ve grown the most in my life and faith are when I’ve asked hard questions. Uncomfortable questions. It’s not always easy, but the result has always been worth it.
When you question God it can produce something of value in your life. It can grow your faith.
4. There’s A Difference Between Asking And Accusing
When we question God we should do so with the right heart.
Think of the story of Jonah. Jonah was struggling to understand what God was doing and found himself questioning God. But he did so with an accusing heart; he thought he knew what was best and failed to show any humility.
Even with this attitude, God still used him and offered him grace and forgiveness. But because of his attitude Jonah had to learn the hard way.
Here’s the point. God knows things we do not. He sees things we cannot. He has the power to do things we are incapable of. When we approach God with our questions we should come humbly understanding that we do not have all the answers, but he does.
Now, just like Jonah when we do come in a little too hot and accuse God without humility, he will still forgive us. But we will make it harder on ourselves.
5. Don’t Stop Asking Questions
Finally, don’t stop asking questions. In this life we will never have it all figured out. There will always be something that causes us to question God. And it’s important that we never stop bringing our questions to God.
There will be times when we are tempted to hide our questions. Fight that urge. Ask your questions. When we do that we will find a loving God who will use these questions as an opportunity to grow our faith.
Final Thoughts On Questioning God
Is it okay to question God? Yes. We can and we should. It’s through these questions that our faith will grow and we will come to a deeper understanding of who God is.
I would also encourage you to share with those around you times that you’ve questioned God. There’s still a stigma around questioning God that leaves many feeling like they are alone, something is wrong with them, and their faith is weak.
You don’t need to hide your doubts or questions or be ashamed. God isn’t ashamed of you in these seasons, and he can use them to do incredible things. In our questions God will give us what we need.
You don’t need to hide your doubts or questions or be ashamed. God isn’t ashamed of you in these seasons, and he can use them to do incredible things. In our questions God will give us what we need.
I would also encourage you to share with those around you times that you’ve questioned God. There’s still a stigma around questioning God that leaves many feeling like they are alone, something is wrong with them, and their faith is weak.
I grew up in a church that taught it was not okay to question God or the Bible. I grew up thinking that I had to believe what they believed because if I didn’t then I wouldn’t go to heaven. As a young adult in my 20s, I didn’t ask very many questions but continued to believe what I was taught to be true. Until I faced depression and anxiety all on my own starting in my late 20s. The church believed and taught that if one struggled with any mental illness they did not have genuine faith in God. They taught me that I chose to have depression and anxiety. I didn’t choose this. I prayed every day that God would heal me. He hasn’t yet. I wouldn’t wish this struggle on anyone. I have had so many questions stemming from my struggle with depression and loneliness. I buried them and pretended I didn’t have any, because either no one cared or didn’t want to answer my questions. Now, I think they just didn’t know how. Until one day, I couldn’t hold the questions in anymore and needed answers. I asked so many questions on gotquestions.org and the answers I received I felt were impersonal and memorized. They didn’t give me hope or relief from my pain. They treated me the same way my hometown church did. I was left with only more questions. No one understood what I was going through and gave me plenty of Bible verses telling me the verses said not to feel this way or to pray and read the Bible to get out of my slump. Neither of which helped. Some said, you only feel sad. You don’t have depression or anxiety. The reason why you’re life isn’t going the way you want it to is because you don’t have enough faith. It was all too much and eventually, I left the faith. I decided that life was pointless with or without God. I thought either way I was going to be unhappy. I started having suicidal thoughts and wondering if life was worth living. I was friendless and alone and when I tried to reach out for comfort, no one seemed to care. I was also afraid of death because I didn’t want to go to hell. I thought if there was a heaven God must not want me in it because of all of my doubts and questions. I couldn’t shake God off during this time. Everything I heard about him I wanted to be true. My view of God is a lot like I view my dad. I hadn’t yet gotten to the point where I can call God father. I hope I get there someday. I wanted to get to know who God was so I decided that I would read the Bible again but this time forget everything I learned since childhood and sought what the Bible truly teaches. Also, I have been putting my questions into google and have found people talk about different opinions which is what led me here. I learned so much here and the lessons I learned here are so much more meaningful and seem to hold more truth than what I grew up with. Questions do lead to growth in faith if they are encouraged and asked in a safe environment. I’m still learning how to have faith amid depression and anxiety but I can say I think I’m much closer to figuring things out. Thank you so much. I still have doubts and questions but I feel much more comfortable asking God my questions and even searching for the answers.
Hi Julie, I am so sorry to hear what happened to you. It is so sad that so many hold on to this faulty belief about questioning God. It had turned many away from the faith and God is not pleased. I pray that by the time you have read this (if at all), you are closer to healing restoration!
I don’t know where you are in your faith journey today, but I am so proud of you for seeking answers and pursing your relationship with God. Reading your words touched me so much. I have two sons that deal with anxiety, and I have seen the hand of God leading them through their struggles into a place of humility and grace. They are truly godly, kind, and generous human beings. I will pray for you as I pray for them. Keep asking those questions. No shame attached! Jesus asked His Father, Why have you forsaken me? John the Baptist asked Jesus, “Are you the Christ or do we look for another?”
Thank you always for sharing.